


In a Flash (I'll be at your side)

by HiddenViolet



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: (not coldflash), Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bartender Leonard Snart, Captivity, ColdFlash Big Bang 2020, Dom Barry Allen, Dom/sub Undertones, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kidnapped Leonard Snart, M/M, Mafia AU, Mob Boss Barry Allen, Protective Barry Allen, Sub Leonard Snart, Thief Leonard Snart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:22:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27720652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenViolet/pseuds/HiddenViolet
Summary: A simple day together turns dark when an enemy plucks Barry Allen's lover straight from his arms.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Leonard Snart
Kudos: 45
Collections: Coldflash Bang 2020





	In a Flash (I'll be at your side)

**Author's Note:**

> So this was for the Coldflash Big Bang. The brilliant artist pieprincessandthefallenangel did my art. You can find that [here](https://pieprincess-andthe-fallenangel.tumblr.com/post/636427656252080128/artwork-done-for-angsty-violets-coldflash-bang)

Barry glowered at the man in front of him, marveling at his pure idiocy. The man ducked his head in shame and tried not to look at Barry. “I want you to do your job, Lawrence. You have had plenty of time to deal with the last of the Santini’s men. I want you to start doing what you are supposed to. Now get the hell out of my sight, and don’t you dare come back here before you have taken the last of them out.”

The man ducked his head again and scuttled off. Barry buried his face in his hands and let out the most aggravated sigh he possibly could. This day had been impossibly long, and he wasn’t finished yet. He heard a soft chuckle and turned to his best friend and right-hand man, Eddie Thawne.

“See, boss, this is why you should be delegating. One of the underlings can deal with this sort of nonsense. I know you like a hands-on approach to your people and your business, but this is taking it a little far. You can’t do everything yourself, you know.”

Barry blew out a breath. “Yes, I’m aware. That doesn’t make it any easier. If something gets screwed up, that’s on me. I don’t know where I would stand with punishing someone who was in a leadership position.”

“I’m sure you’d figure it out. Look on the bright side.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Today is Friday.”

Barry lit up at that and grinned at his friend. “You’re right. It’s Friday. What time is it? I want to have on a new suit before we head over there. Maybe one of my new ones, see if I can impress him a little.”

“Just after 4, boss. Home to get dressed?”

“Oh, yes. I need to make a good impression after all.”

ColdFlash

Leonard allowed himself a moment to lean heavily against the bar. He gave a little sigh but continued making drinks. Bartending was better than waiting tables, but that didn’t make it great. However, it was the only day a week he could stand behind the bar and interact with customers as little as possible. Most of them just wanted their drinks anyway, not idle chat, making the experience better than waiting tables.

It was also the only day when Barry Allen was able to talk to him at work without getting him into trouble.

He mostly just kept his head down and did his work. There was talk amongst the managers of letting him have more bartending days. He knew that he could’ve just asked Barry to make it so he worked the bar every day. No one was willing to tell him, no, but he didn’t want to risk someone who needed the money getting bumped.

Saints and Sinners was likely the only bar in town where bartenders made better tips than waiters. Partially because most of their clientele, workers, drop-ins, and even the owner were mob. If you knew how to make the drinks right, give the right kind of alcohol to the right people, you went far. Otherwise, in a week, you’d be out of a job. 

He needed this job, at least for a little while longer. He might be able to live endlessly off of Barry’s money, but he wasn’t that kind of man. He wouldn’t allow himself to become overly dependent on Barry’s charity, even if they were together. Eventually, his thieving would get off the ground better. He would be able to take more extensive, better-paying heists. Once he got his business and his reputation up, he’d be doing better.

Then he’d be able to pay for Lisa to go to college wherever she wanted. She was only 8, but Len knew that she was going to go _so_ far. She was going to have a much better life than he did. That was a guarantee.

“I’d like to get a tall glass of you, handsome. Something to quench my thirst and warm me up.”

Leonard smirked at his line. “I’m afraid that I’m a bit too cool for you. You’d be frozen to the ground before you knew it.”

Barry laughed delightedly. “God, you’re sexy. You should come home with me and let me show you just how sexy you are.”

Len’s ears turned pink, and he avoided eye contact. “I’m working, Barry. You know that.”

“I know, honey; I’m just teasing you. You know I like to harass you when you’re at work, and Fridays are the only days that I can do it without being too much in the way. Besides, this is the only job I’m allowed to harass you at. I’ll let off of you if you give me a little kiss on the lips.” Barry knew that it was a long shot. Len _hated_ public displays of affection. However, he figured that he might, just might, be able to get away with it.

Len glanced around and saw that everyone in the area was diligently looking away from the two of them. One of the bonuses when it came to dating a crime king. He leaned over quickly and pecked Barry on the lips.

Barry grinned in delight. “Oh, you are the sweetest thing. I could just eat you up. Hard to believe you ever spare a second glance on little old me. Now darling, can I get a whiskey, neat?”

Len nodded and reached for the top-shelf whiskey. Barry allowed himself an ogle at the tight little bum but resisted the urge to pinch it. Len would be agitated, and he didn’t want to ruin their evening together.

Len poured him two fingers and left the bottle on the bar, knowing that anything claimed by Barry “The Flash” Allen wasn’t going to be touched by anyone else.

Len winced as the thought occurred to him that _he_ fell into that category. Not a single person had dared even to look his direction romantically since Barry had begun to make his attraction known. Now that they were dating, most people would only speak to him when necessary—terrified that it would appear as hitting on someone who belonged to the city’s most dangerous and ruthless mob boss.

He tried not to dwell on thoughts like that too much. They often led to thinking about his past, and if he could never think of his history again, life would be good.

The rest of his shift passed in a blur of bartending and flirting. Listening as Barry tried out every single cheesy pickup line he could think up. Also, he was eavesdropping, just a little, as Barry conducted some late-night business. He completed most of his official mob business at his headquarters, but Len knew that some things happened under the guise of a drink and the cover of a dark corner booth.

He usually didn’t care about the mob business; it didn’t really have any bearing on him. Lately, though, Len had tried to pick up a few tidbits here and there. That kind of information could be beneficial, both at this job and at his other. It might even save his life. Len believed that you could never have too good of an understanding of what was happening in the world. Especially when that world was the crime world.

The night passed in both a flash and a drag. He was desperate to get out of there, which made the time move slowly, but the bar was busy. Friday night, right after the first of the month, they had many drinkers in there. Both of these contributed to his exhaustion once he finally hit the end of his shift. His feet were killing him, and he really wanted to just go home and sleep. This was warring with his want to jump Barry’s bones. He figured he’d decide in the car.

As soon as he had clocked out, Barry wrapped his arm around Len’s waist and led him towards his car. Barry led Len towards the expensive car and then guided into the back seat. Barry sat next to him and gestured for the driver to take them home.

Barry placed a hand on Len’s thigh, sliding it up just a little towards his cock. This pretty much made the decision for him. He wasn’t going to go to sleep, trying to pretend he wasn’t horny, not when he had access to what he wanted so desperately.

Len tried his best to keep the flush down. A battle he assumed he was losing and knew that if he’d let him, Barry would’ve had him in the back of this car right now. But Len had already decided that he didn’t want to do anything that made him feel as though he were nothing but a cheap hooker, someone Barry paid to fuck.

So, they would wait until the two of them were comfortably ensconced in Barry’s overly expensive bed, and Len could be laid out the way that he thought he was entitled to. However, waiting till they got home for the main event didn’t keep Barry from groping, kissing, or dragging him around like this pet. It just meant that he wasn’t allowed to fuck him in front of other people or in semi-public places.

They were silent the majority of the way home. Barry wanted the anticipation to build, and Len was desperately trying to keep from cumming in his pants like a teenager. Every time Barry shot him that smile, though, it made his desperation even stronger. This was only exacerbated by Barry refusing to take his hand off of Len’s thigh. He gave regular squeezes and smiled every time Len looked at him in exasperation.

When they got back to the house, Barry thanked his driver and pulled Len from the car, placing one possessive hand on his neck and one on the small of his back. Pushing him towards the house and towards the one evening where they could do anything they wanted.

Len got one day off a week, and Barry rearranged his whole schedule to also have it off. They had one day where he wasn’t at the bar or doing his other work, and Barry wasn’t going to waste a single second of it. He escorted his lover into the house, a possessive arm around him the whole time.

When they got to the bedroom, Barry nudged him towards the attached bathroom. He didn’t care about how Len smelled when they got home, but he knew that Len did. He wanted a few minutes to shower off the stink of the bar and to take a moment to separate himself from work.

Barry took a moment to appreciate himself in the mirror they kept in the bedroom. It was a bit narcissistic, but he didn’t care. He had explicitly changed to impress Len, and this was definitely impressive. The tailored suit fit him like a glove and helped make his naturally slender frame look more masculine. Unlike Len, he didn’t have the ability to have large bulky muscles or look intimidating with nothing but a towel. He had to stick to more tried and true methods.

He took the time to straighten out his jacket and pants and tame his hair a little. When Barry heard the water turn off and tried not to grin in excitement. This was one of his favorite parts of the evening. He waited for a few more minutes, listening to Len moving around, and then the door opened up, and Len entered the bedroom.

Barry’s breath caught in his throat, and he took a moment to remember how to breathe. Len glanced at him shyly, staying partially out of his line of sight. Despite his penchant for skirts (kilts as he would call them), he wasn’t very comfortable flaunting his occasional cross-dressing, and he wasn’t comfortable with lots of skin exposed.

This outfit combined both of those.

A thin blue camisole covered in lace and a blue miniskirt. Barry grinned and beckoned Leonard closer to him. He approached cautiously, a little skittish in his outfit, but came without any complaints. Barry allowed his hands to slid up the skirt and took a firm grip of the plush ass beneath it.

“Hey, baby. Ready to have a little fun?”

Len nodded, reaching out his arms to place them behind Barry’s neck and sliding firmly into his lap. Barry grinned a little and chuckled. “Someone’s a little eager tonight. Had a rough week?”

Len sighed and pressed his cheek to Barry’s, closing his eyes. “I had this weirdo that kept watching me all week long. He came in every single day. Shawna threw him out after getting a little too close to me and wouldn’t lay off the staring. He was right back in there the next day. Had me on edge and worn out.”

Barry narrowed his eyes. “Baby, you’re supposed to tell me these things when they happen. I know you don’t like how I deal with things, and I won’t, if you ask me not to. However, I at least need to know if you are in any danger. That was our agreement. Remember?”

Len nodded a little, chastened by Barry’s words. “I know, but it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. A lot of guys stare. Usually, they just want to think they have a chance with me. There was something else about this guy, though. He had the oddest look on his face. Almost like he expected me to recognize him, but if I do know him, I couldn’t figure out who he was.”

“I’ll have someone look into it in the morning. Now, where were we?” Barry pressed a harsh kiss to Len’s lips, nipping lightly at the bottom one. Then he firmly gripped Len’s waist, sliding his hands underneath the camisole and pressing upwards, searching out the little pink nipples. Len arched into the touch as Barry tweaked his nipples and moaned out loud. Barry smiled lightly at him.

“You are such a sweet lover. I don’t know how anyone keeps their hands off of you.”

“Mm, you.”

Barry smirked as Len entered his nonverbal phase of arousal. It happened a lot when he was comfortable. His words just escaping him as he became aroused. Barry liked to try and get him to talk even with it.

“Oh? Me? You say that like I scare away all the people that want to grope your perfect ass. I just don’t think that’s true.” He pressed one of his fingers against the tight opening, and Len whimpered.

“You-ahh-do. Scare them. They think you own me.”

Barry smirked possessive, “Do they now?”

Len glowered at him, and Barry pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“I don’t own you, of course. You are your own person, and you can leave whenever you want. You are with me because you are choosing to be with me. Which in my mind,” Barry flipped them, so Len was on his back underneath him, “is a million times hotter than owning you. You have the choice to be with anyone that you could possibly want, and you decided to be with me. It's scorching in my mind, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Len relaxed. He smiled soft and slow and pressed a langued kiss against Barry’s lips, pulling back before Barry had the chance to introduce any tongue. Barry smiled at him and then reached for the lube bottle that he kept on the table beside the bed.

He slicked up his fingers with plenty of lube and pressed one to Len’s puckered entrance. They didn’t have sex nearly as often as Barry would’ve liked, their schedules not allowing it. However, every day was likely an impossibility anyway. Neither of them had that kind of stamina. Even Len, as young as he was, had limits. However, they did it often enough that they were usually able to keep Len mostly open. Len slid his hands up to his own nipples and then began to play with them gently. He liked the feeling of light tugging.

Before long, Barry was sliding a second finger in, and Len moaned at the feeling. Barry grinned at him and pressed a kiss to his thigh, just to the left of his erect cock. Len reached for his cock with one of his hands to give it a stroke, but Barry batted his hand away, not allowing him the satisfaction.

“You know better than that baby. If you’re, going to cum tonight, it’s going to be from my cock and nothing else.”

“Bastard. I don’t know why I stay with you.”

Barry grinned in delight and bit Len’s thigh, sucking just enough to leave a mark.

“I’m wonderful in bed. Besides, you like being tormented. Like the feeling of a cock pressing into you, the desperate build that comes from knowing that your satisfaction relies entirely on how well I fuck you. If I choose to fuck you at all. One of the reasons I love you. Go on, then, play with your tits. Pinch and torment them the way you like.”

Len nearly shrieked when his fingers pressed against his prostate. Finally, moving his hands away from the abused nubs. He was going to need them in a minute. Barry pulled out his fingers and slicked up his cock. He chose to start off with a bit of teasing. Nudging the head around the hole, pressing in only a little.

“Give me more asshole!” It seemed he was a lot more verbal this go around. Barry must not be doing his job properly.

Barry gave Len a punishing slap on his ass but decided to comply anyway. He started pushing in steadily. Stopping halfway through because he feared that if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to control himself. Once he had his breath back and knew he wouldn’t embarrass himself, he continued with the steady inward push. Once Barry was seated deep inside of his lover, he paused and waited for a moment, wanting to tease him just a little more. Len let out a desperate sound and tried to push back, and Barry took pity on him.

“Is this how you want it gorgeous? Want it hard and fast?”

“Yes! Please, more!”

He pulled out fast and then thrust into him harshly, and for a few moments, there was only the sound of panting and skin slapping, with the occasional moan thrown in. Sometimes Barry wished that his lover would be more vocal in bed. Then he remembered the pure pride he felt at wrenching those few and far between sounds out of him.

“God, I could just keep you like this forever and ever. You’d never leave my bed; all you would ever do is just service me when and where I wanted it. would you like that, huh?”

Once Barry got his rhythm, he adjusted his angle and began to strike that beautiful little place inside Len. Len continued to moan and beg for more. It had been too many days since they had sex, and he was desperate. Len wrapped his arms around Barry’s shoulders and pulled himself into an even better angle.

“Oh, God, Yes! Len. You feel so good, you are so good. You are unbelievable.”

After that, it didn’t take long for either of them. The extra stimulation was enough for Len to start towards his climax and the feeling of friction urging Barry on and on. Len was first, arching up and spilling all over both of them, coming untouched as he often did when it had been awhile. He made absolutely no noise. Simply clenched his teeth and came forcefully. To Barry, it was hotter than anything else he could’ve done.

Only a few thrusts later, and Barry followed, filling up his boyfriend and shouting “Len” at the top of his lungs. He pressed in close, bottoming out completely. He could feel the warm cum flooding into his lover, and if he had been 10 years younger, it might have inspired another round. However, he wasn’t. 1 round this intense was pretty much all he could take. He pulled out carefully.

The two collapsed in the bed together. Barry reached out to Len and pulled him close. Len followed, pressing his face to Barry’s chest, and Len silently decided that the clean-up could wait. He usually preferred to get cleaned up right away, but he knew that this was only round one.

They might not be able to get it up right away, but an hour of pillow talk and dozing, and they’d be ready to go. They had all night to make the sheets filthy. After they got through a few more, they would change the sheets and go to bed. Until that point, it was just a futile effort.

ColdFlash

When Barry woke up, he gave a deep sigh and glanced over at his lover. Len was still asleep, his eyes shut and pressed close to Barry. Barry extricated himself from his lover’s grip and decided to make them both breakfast.

“So, what do you want to do today?” Barry questioned over his omelet. Len shrugged and took another bite of his own scrambled eggs.

“I need to do some work this morning. Play around with a few blueprints. Didn’t plan anything beyond that, so whatever you feel like.”

Barry grinned, delighted. “You’re going to regret that. I’m taking you out for a new tailored suit. We can run a few more errands while we’re out, but that’s the main thing I want to do today. Sound good?”

Len sighed but acquiesced. Barry wanted to get Len into a designer suit right after they met, but there was never any time; now was as good a time as any.

ColdFlash

Len let himself into the office where he did his work. Barry had his own office, and the two of them had long ago agreed to stay out of each other’s workspaces. There was too much stepping on toes when they were involved with the other's work.

He pulled out his current project and laid it out on the large drafting desk he worked at. He then started to make notes and jot possible times on a little notepad, making sure to write everything he thought of down. Then he started the beginning of a workable plan for his next job.

Stealing the most expensive piece from the current ruby display at the museum wasn’t going to be any cakewalk. He worked diligently for several hours. Losing himself in the calming motions of _work_. He didn’t realize just how much time had passed until he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Len startled a bit, but the relaxed when he realized it was only Barry.

“Hey, handsome. It’s been nearly 2 hours. Get ready to be done. We are spending today together.”

Len blinked at him in startlement and knew better than to argue. “I hadn’t realized I’d worked for so long. You should’ve come and got me earlier. I just got caught up in all of the little details. Let me put a few things away, change, and then we can go do your suit fitting. Alright?”

Barry nodded in agreement, and Len left the room.

ColdFlash

After Len finished changing, they made their way to Barry’s tailor, who immediately began planning Len's perfect suit.

“He is broader in the shoulders but still so slender, particularly in his waist. He needs a cut that flatters his sharp features, no?”

“I agree, Anthony. Something that makes him stand out in the crowd but also says, ‘taken, back off.’”

Anthony grinned at him and nodded, knowing what he meant. Len was beginning to get bored watching the two of them talk about suits, mostly since they had already done the measurements and looked at suit cuts. There was a part of him that would never adjust to the expensive way he now lived. This was Barry’s world. Len would always be the kid from the wrong part of Central.

Barry seemed to realize his boredom and wrapped up his conversation, then he led him out of the shop and into downtown. The two of them wandered up and down the street. Occasionally they popped in and out of shops, buying things, and for a while, things were perfect. It was a perfect day off and a perfect day for a perfect date. Unfortunately, it didn’t last.

ColdFlash

When Len woke up, he noticed that his eyes were covered and his hands were tied behind his back. He tugged lightly at the bonds, but they were professional and didn’t budge an inch. They had been deftly attached to each other and the chair he was on. His feet were bound tightly to the legs as well. He breathed softly and listened carefully, trying to get an indicator of where he was.

He had only stepped away from Barry for a moment. He wanted to give him privacy while he was taking a business call. It was always best to know as little as possible about work that didn’t include him. Made him less of a target to Barry’s enemies. Then he felt a pinch in his neck and had woken up here. Despite trying to seem like he was still unconscious, he must have been discovered because he heard a man begin to speak.

“I’ve wanted to meet you for some time, Mr. Snart. I’m dying to get to know The Flash’s pet thief. The one who spends part of his time stealing from all of Mr. Allen’s enemies and part of his time working at a bar. Such an interesting fellow you must be. So young, but you are so talented.”

Len sighed but gave up the act. “I’m afraid I can’t say the same thing for you as I don’t know who you are.”

Another deep chuckle, this time very menacing. Len had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at the cliché. “Well, I really would love to tell you, but if you knew my identity, I would need to kill you. You are simply too beautiful to waste on something like that. You can just call me Sir.”

A hand settled on his thigh. Len didn’t like where this was going; kidnapping and threatening bodily harm were one thing, sexual advances were another. “Well, _Sir,_ ” he said ‘Sir’ in the most condescending way he possibly could. “Can I at least know why I’m here?”

“Mm, yes, you can. The Flash has something of mine, and I want it back. Something you didn’t steal. He’s either going to hand it over to me in exchange for you, or we’ll keep you. I would like to say that there’s no chance we won’t kill you, but that would be a lie. We most certainly would kill you if you got out of hand. But I don’t think it will come to that, do you? Besides, if that were to happen, we would want to get our money’s worth, and you have such a lovely body.”

Len shivered at the tone and nodded in agreement. He had no way of knowing when Barry was going to get around to this, or if he even could deal with it. It was impossible to know these days. It was best to bide his time and hope that Barry could get him out of here. That meant playing along with this psychos plans.

ColdFlash

“Find him! Right now! Do you have any idea where he is? A single clue?”

“Boss,” Eddie placed a hand on his arm. “It’s only been a couple of hours. We’re going to find him and bring him home. You’ll see. We’re working on getting him back here as soon as possible. Right now, we need to be calm; that is the best way to locate him. Alright?”

Barry took a deep breath and nodded. He narrowed his eyes and thought desperately of who hated either of them enough or had the guts to do it in broad daylight. The list was short but Barry knew that he was probably missing some.

“Check to see what the Santinis are up to. My money’s on them. They wanted a war between us. This is a sure-fire way to get it.”

ColdFlash

Len was a little concerned about how cold he was. In this damp weather hypothermia was a definite risk. He shivered a little and sighed. At least there were no strange hands on him right now. It seemed that every time he relaxed, someone would slide their hands along his body. He was getting sick of it. When he got out of here, he was going to kill every single one of those bastards.

“I’ve sent the ransom note. Let’s hope that Mr. Allen loves you as much as we think he does. I have to say though, even if he doesn’t, we’re going to come out ahead. Some acquisitions can be very lucrative even when you were planning on exchanging them for something else. Are you curious about what we’re trading you for?”

Len ignored the bit where he was relegated to an object. “I suppose I am. Kidnapping is hard. You have to get your victim away from prying eyes as quickly as possible. Then you need a place to store them while you work out the ransom agreement. Someplace that no one ever goes but can get to easily, if need be. It’s tricky business, so whatever you’re after, must be important.”

The man laughed. “You are a very astute man; I can see why Mr. Allen thinks so highly of you. You see, Mr. Snart, we are after the blueprints to S.T.A.R labs.”

Len paled at the thought of these monsters with possible access to all sorts of dangerous new technology. S.T.A.R Labs was known for its production of weapons. Powerful, vicious weapons that are used in some of the worst situations in the world. The mere thought of them having something like that made his stomach turn in a horrible way.

The man seemed to sense his horror, or maybe it read on his mostly uncovered face. “I’m sure you are imagining all sorts of horrid things that we might do with all those lovely little toys. We’re only after one thing, though. If we have access to others, we might allow a bit of a detour, but we aren’t focusing on those wonderfully powerful weapons. We have something else in mind.”

The man leaned very close to Len. Len breathed out tensely, not daring to move with his presence so near. It took everything in him not to recoil when he felt lips press against his ear.

“I’d tell you what we were looking for, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’d have to either kill you or keep you forever. I don’t think you’d like that very much, would you darling?”

Len gritted his teeth. “No, I wouldn’t,” he said.

“I didn’t think so. Now darling, we just need to wait for your lover’s reply and hope that it’s a favorable one. You just sit tight. This should all be over in a few hours.”

Len heard the steps as the man walked away, and regardless of who was watching, hung his head. He didn’t want to deal with this situation at all. Partially because the idea to break into S.T.A.R labs had also occurred to him.

ColdFlash

Barry’s hands clenched as he read the ransom note. Did this punk think that he would get away with taking his beloved, stealing him away, and then attempting to ransom him? What kind of moron went after his lover?

“Eddie,” Barry growled.

“Yes, boss?”

“I want you to track down exactly who wrote this note and where it came from. I imagine you won’t have much trouble since whoever wrote it didn’t make Len do the writing. See if you can find any traces that indicate where he’s being held.”

Eddie nodded and then hesitated. It seemed for a moment that he wanted to reassure his old friend. To tell him that they would get his lover back. He had a feeling, though that it wouldn’t do much good. Barry wouldn’t be at ease until they had Len back safe and sound.

“If it comes down to it, we will hand over the blueprints.”

Eddie stared at him aghast. “You’re not serious?”

“I am completely serious. I will not lose Len over a bunch of papers. No matter how valuable they are. I am aware of what the blueprints are and what they could mean. Despite that, I refuse to lose him. Do you have a problem with that?”

Eddie regarded him for a moment and then shook his head. “No, Sir. I’ll start trying to figure out where he is. Perhaps it would be best if you contacted them and informed them that you were complying. That would help guarantee Mr. Snart’s safe return. If they know for sure that you are doing what they want you to.”

Barry nodded in agreement. “Let’s find him before it becomes necessary.”

ColdFlash

Len wasn’t enjoying his stay with the assorted menacing goons. He was cold and hungry, and all he wanted to do was go home and not have to deal with this mess. Len desperately hoped that Barry was coming to get him because his plan making was failing him. No matter how hard he tried to gather more information, all he came up with was a blank.

He was someplace cold. Not rare in Central City being so close to the water. It was industrial. Again, not unusual. That was all he could glean with the blindfold on. Since someone was watching him continuously, he had no hope of attempting to work the blindfold off. With it on, he was limited to what he could hear and feel, which was hardly anything.

He heard the clomp of boots that he had come to associate with Menacing Goon in charge of other Goons and tilted his head towards the sound. He flinched back when a finger traced along his face and down his neck.

“You’re in luck. Your boyfriend wants his toy back, and he’s willing to trade us for you. I’m sure you’re glad that he actually cares about you. I would’ve thought he’d be willing to throw you over. That does mean we won’t get to have our fun, but I think the blueprints will be an adequate substitute.”

Len resisted the urge to glare at him. Likely Menacing Goon wouldn’t even see it. He knew that Barry loved him, that he was more than just a toy to pass the time with. He was comfortable in his relationship with the crime lord that Barry saw him as an equal, some he was on par with, despite the age difference. He knew all of that.

So then why did his stomach tie into knots?

The rope that bound him to the chair was severed. Although that still left his hands tied behind his back and the blindfold, he felt better about his odds. He was unceremoniously pushed down the corridor. He stumbled because he couldn’t see, and he heard a grunt of annoyance at his slow pace.

Someone took his arm and began to drag him along the corridor at a much faster pace. Len did his best to keep his footing and not fall. He wasn’t going to let these people have the satisfaction. He desperately wanted to be reunited with Barry.

So, he could watch the crime boss kill every single one of these motherfuckers.

ColdFlash

Len didn’t know where he was being taken to be exchanged. He attempted to keep track of how long it had been and then calculate it, but that was mostly in vain. Although there were only a few places he could be kept, dozens of locations from each of those spots they could’ve driven to. Most of the city was well within the possible area.

All he could do was sit back and hope that whatever happened next was going to be in his favor. Although he knew Barry would try everything to safely get him back, he also knew that these kinds of exchanges often went horribly wrong. He closed his eyes behind the blindfold and hoped desperately for this to all be over.

The van came to a halt, and he heard someone get out, and someone else, presumably, get in. He jumped when he felt a familiar hand on his thigh.

“We made good time. We’re here nearly an hour early; it seems a waste to just sit here and wait. Why don’t you and I spend a little time getting to know each other.”

Len felt bile rise in his throat. His voice seemed caught, and all he could do was shake his head.

“No need to be shy. Your boyfriend never needs to find out. The two of us could just spend a few minutes learning each other’s bodies, and that will be that. Or I could always just put a bullet between your precious lover’s eyes as soon as he gets here. Would you prefer that?”

Len went pale and desperately shook his head.

“Then, darling, why don’t you keep those lips closed and just hang on for the ride?”

Len kept his eyes closed behind his blindfold. He figured it might help blot out what was about to happen to him.

ColdFlash

Eddie finished his phone call and glanced at Barry, giving him a defined nod. That was the signal that everything of value had been moved out of S.T.A.R labs and replaced with useless junk. He might be willing to hand over the blueprints, but he wasn’t going to allow the bastard the satisfaction of getting his hands on whatever he was after.

The trick was to do it before he gave the blueprints, so when they started casing the joint, they didn’t see anything that seemed overtly suspicious. Barry nodded back and then picked up the plans. He had multiple copies, so he wasn’t losing anything, but he still didn’t like giving up something that was his.

He wanted Len back a hell of a lot more, though.

He made his way to the car, where Eddie would be driving him to the rendezvous point. He took the back seat, and Eddie assumed his role as driver. Barry allowed himself a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. It wouldn’t do to lose his temper in the middle and Len get caught in the middle of a firefight.

Eddie shot him a look in the mirror but didn’t say anything. For which Barry was very grateful. The last thing he wanted to do was admit just how badly this whole event had shaken him. That he could have the one thing that meant more to him than anything else in the world be taken from him so easily. That he would become so helpless in the face of a true adversary.

Before he knew it, they were arriving at the rendezvous spot. He could see the dark van already in the abandoned parking lot and knew that it contained his lover. He wondered when it had gotten there; Barry himself was very early. What was going on?

“Something’s wrong.” He said this to Eddie, who nodded at the words. Barry pulled out his sidearm and watched as Eddie did the same. They both checked the weapons, made sure they were fully loaded, and they started towards the van, parked in the middle of the parking lot.

On the far side of the van, just out of eyesight was one of the men. Barry gestured to Eddie to make his move and soon the enemy was laying on the ground unconscious. It crossed Barry’s mind that the van could be filled with people. In a few seconds they might be outnumbered and taken out without a chance of rescuing Len. Barry doubted it though. This wasn’t a well thought out professional job. It was someone hoping to get their hands on something they shouldn’t the easiest way they could think of.

There was a second goon out of sight. He saw them and gave as shout to alert whoever was inside of the vehicle before Eddie brough him to the ground. It didn’t matter, they had the advantage of surprise and it all would be over soon. They shot the two men sitting in the front of the van before they could even get out of their seats.

Barry moved quickly to the back of the van. He whipped open the doors and saw red. Len’s hands were tied, and he was blindfolded, but he didn’t look much worse for wear. What upset him was the sight of the asshole’s hand on his thigh. He gave a growl and was about ready to attack when the man pressed a guy to Len’s head.

Barry stopped and looked at him carefully, tamping down on his temper in the process, wondering if he indeed was willing to shoot Len or if it was a bluff. He decided that he didn’t want to take the chance that the man was a psycho ready to shoot a blindfolded unarmed man and held his hands up in surrender. He still had Eddie with him, and Len wasn’t out for the count, even tied up.

ColdFlash

Len kept his eyes closed behind the blindfold and was startled by a loud shout from one of the men. He opened them again, although he still couldn’t see anything. His captor made a noise of anger and shifted a little. He heard two gunshots and figured that this entire situation was about to be over. Barry had come for him.

Next to him, the man yanked him close, pressed a gun to his head, and then placed his other hand possessively on Len’s thigh. Len figured that he was going to be threatened so that the man could get away.

Len wasn’t going to put up with it, all he needed was a single moment, and he could be free. It wouldn’t even take that much energy.

“Mr. Allen, I see that you broke our agreement.”

“Actually no, you see, I was just a few minutes early when I saw the van was over here. Figured we could get the trade out of the way. It was your men that attacked. This is all on your people.”

Len wished he could see his lover’s face but knew that trying to dislodge the blindfold could be deadly. He just needed a few more moments to work his hands from the ropes, and he would be able to move. He heard that horrible chuckle again, and it set his nerves on edge. The man clearly thought he had the upper hand, and he might very well have it. If he did, it could mean that Len’s attack would mean nothing. If he didn’t, it would mean the whole thing was over.

“I will give you the blueprints. I just need you to hand over Leonard. This doesn’t need to end in bloodshed.”

“Oh, Mr. Allen, it most definitely does. You were never supposed to see who I was. With your knowledge of my identity, I know that it is just a matter of time before you come after me. I won’t stand for it. I’m afraid that I am just going to have to kill you both.”

There! Len finally got both of his hands worked free of the bindings, and he knew the time was to act now. If the man actually still had some of his goons left, they already would’ve attacked. No attack, no goons, which meant that the only thing complicating this was Len, and he could finish it.

ColdFlash

Barry could see Len pulling his hands out of the ropes out of the corner of his eye. He just needed to stall for time until his lover could do so. He offered up the trade even though he knew it was pointless. As soon as he and Eddie had attacked, he had known it was never going to be a smooth transaction. Men like these always had a bit of an ace up their sleeve.

He didn’t allow the anger at seeing another touch his lover continue cloud his mind. He could kill this bastard as soon as Len was safe if Len didn’t do it first. He watched as Len finally managed to get his hands free of the ropes and winced at the thought of the rope burn he would have.

Len was able to get the man by surprise. One minute he was the docile hostage, the next, he had his hands around the throat. Thankfully, the man had pressed very close to him, allowing Len to know precisely where he was. Otherwise, the blindfold could’ve inhibited him. He clamped down on the throat and did his best to strangle the life out of his hostage-taker.

Len was so focused on his task that he completely missed Barry moving closer to him. However, he didn’t miss his lover pulling the blindfold away from his eyes and restoring his sight. For the first time, Len laid eyes on his hostage-taker. A man that had threatened to rape and murder him.

His face was shockingly normal and gave nothing of his cruel nature away. He was also startlingly familiar. Len realized precisely who this man was. Callum Miani, the Santinis’ enforcer. A man who was attempting to move into the mob business by shoving others out of it. Len knew him because they had worked a few jobs together, a few years ago when Len was still young and needed help. His identity explained his threats to Len. The man was obsessed with him, both in Len’s refusal to climb into his bed and the fact that Len was a much better thief.

Len was so startled by the realization that he relaxed his grip and slumped backward. It didn’t matter, though. Barry was already pushing a gun to Maini’s head and tugging Len out of harm’s way. Len went placidly, too shocked to object.

“Alright, Len?”

Eddie’s questions startled Len badly, and he turned to look at the man in surprise.

“Yeah, I’m okay. You guys got me out of the situation before he could do anything too bad to me. Thank you for that. Thanks for coming along to rescue me at all. I know that Barry would’ve let you off if you had said you didn’t want to come. Means a lot to me.”

“Yeah, well, you saving Iris’ life means a lot to me. It seems only appropriate that I respond in kind. You’re one of us now, even if you are a thief. Not like we can object really to the illegality. Just don’t like someone showing us up in the business.”

“Still, thank you for coming.”

“Come on, Len, we can let Barry deal with this scum sucker. Get you into the car and warmed up again. I’m sure you are thirsty and probably hungry. You just watch, in a few days, all of this is going to be behind you, and you can get on with your life. Forgot all about this asshole screwing up your day off.”

Len allowed Eddie to lead him from the van. To lead him away from the man who threatened horrible things on him, and to where the car was parked. Eddie opened up the back door, and Len slid in. He glanced at Eddie, seeming to consider something, and then spoke.

“Tell Barry to make it as painful as possible. You wouldn’t believe the things that he threatened to do to me.”

Eddie gave him a considering glance and nodded. Then he closed the door and walked back to where the van was. Len wanted to stay awake until Barry came back, and he knew that both of them were safe, but he didn’t have the energy. He thought he would just close his eyes for a few moments to get some energy back. Before Len knew it, he was sound asleep in the car, dead to the world.

ColdFlash

When Len woke up, he was relieved to see that he was back in Barry’s house, lying in their bed. For a moment, he thought that it might all have been a nightmare, something conjured up by his paranoid exhausted brain. However, when he sat up and felt the bruises, he knew that it was all true. The kidnapping, the threats, and Barry and Eddie dealing with the bastard.

Len felt a little sorry that he hadn’t been able to fulfill his wish of killing every single one of those assholes who had dared think they could ever lay their hands on him. Len assured himself that Barry dealt with it and likely did a much more painful and creative job than he ever did.

Len was relieved that although Barry had brought him home, that he hadn’t been undressed. As safe as Barry made him feel, he would’ve been very uncomfortable to find that someone had taken his clothes while he was asleep. It was nice to know that Barry understood his boundaries well enough to know that.

Len allowed himself the rare luxury of simply lying in bed, doing nothing. Usually, he would get up and start working on his endless plans, but today he just allowed himself the comfort of home. He figured that anything he had to do could wait until he had his emotions and life a little better under control. Nothing was pressing anyway and he deserved some time off to recover.

Len came out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs. For a moment, his paranoid brain spat out several horrible scenarios where his kidnappers had returned to reclaim him. Managing to kill every single guard, employee, and even Barry in their way. That they would rip him from the world he lived in and send him back to the horrible dark, cold place.

After a moment of deep breathing, he regained control of his wild thoughts. He knew the sound of those footsteps. He heard them every single day. That sound was ingrained in his mind from Barry returning from late hours with business or needing to get up early to make a meeting. Len was perfectly safe here; he just needed to convince his pounding heart about that.

Len heard a knock on the door and breathed deeply to steel his nerves. “Come in.” He was glad to see that his instincts were right. Barry was carrying a tray piled with food, carafes, and tableware. Len was a little surprised. Barry was shockingly against breakfast in bed. He claimed that it was much easier to get up and go to the table. That way, you had plenty of room and didn’t have to worry about crumbs getting into your bedsheets. Today seemed to be the exception. Len sat up and gave Barry a smile, but even he could feel its brittleness. No doubt, Barry could as well.

“Hey handsome, I brought you some breakfast. I figured you’d be up by now and needing a little pampering, especially after the time you’ve had. I just brought you up to bed last night. You were so exhausted I didn’t want to wake you. You’re more than welcome to have a shower and freshen up before you eat. I can’t imagine it’s very comfortable to be like that.”

“You always seem to know exactly what I need, Barry. I’ll just pop into the shower, have a quick rinse off, and then put on some clean clothes. Then I’ll eat.”

Barry smiled patiently at him. “If I couldn’t take care of you the way you deserve to be taken care of, you’d have no reason to stay with me, would you?”

Len tilted his head in a teasing manner and sent a lewd glance towards Barry’s crotch. “Oh, I think that I could come up with a few more if I thought very hard about it.”

“Go ahead and get cleaned up, you tease.”

ColdFlash

Barry couldn’t help the pure relief that came with Len’s teasing. He didn’t know what had gone on while he had been in Miani’s confinement, and without knowing, he had no idea what Len might be dealing with, no clue as to what might trigger him. Or even if anything would trigger him at all. Without that, he would need to tread carefully, at least until Len was more comfortable in his presence. Until he felt he could reveal what he needed to.

That had been part of the reason he hadn’t undressed Len the night before. Usually, he wouldn’t have hesitated. They had been together long enough that a few lost clothes wouldn’t phase either of them. However, Len wasn’t a fan of strangers touching him on an average day. Barry had no clue how much physical contact he would’ve been subjected to during his captivity. Len’s veiled comment about the threats against his person didn’t inspire too much confidence.

He listened as Len showered and set the tray on Len’s dresser. He took the chance to make the bed, fluffing the pillows and settled onto it, waiting anxiously for his lover to return. As little as he wanted to subject Len to any more emotional upheaval, they had to talk about what happened while he was captured. He needed to be reassured that he was safe from Miani and the accompanying goons.

Otherwise, any trauma he experienced would cement and become an underlying issue in his life. It was better to get it out in the open and out of the way before that happened. Even small traumas could haunt you for the rest of your life if they weren’t deal with properly. Then, Len could begin to heal from this experience.

Barry heard the water shut off and listened as Len shaved at the sink. He went to the closet and picked out Len’s softest, most comfortable clothing. The things he only wore on days he didn’t plan on leaving the house. He knocked on the door, and after a moment of silence, he heard Len say come in.

Barry only cracked open the door and handed him the clothing. Len thanked him softly and took it, shutting the door once he had it. Barry tried not to be discouraged about not being invited in or Len leaving the door open. Len had had a long few days. He could want to get cleaned up as fast as possible without any distractions. Or he could be uncomfortable with someone seeing him naked. 

Barry ordered himself to stop catastrophizing. Until Len talked to him, he had no way of knowing what went on. After their talk he could freak out about what happened. Until then, he would hope for the best while treating Len like the worst happened.

Len exited the bathroom in fresh, clean clothes. Barry stood up and moved for the breakfast tray. “Have a seat. This is the only time you have permission to get crumbs all over the bed. I planned on changing the sheets today anyway.”

ColdFlash

Len gave him a smile and sat against the headboard. Barry knew how to treat him, and he really did need a bit of pampering. Barry brought over the tray and set it over Len’s lap then sat next to him. For a few minutes, the only sound was the two of them enjoying their breakfast. Barry allowed Len to become comfortable with him and then broached the subject.

“If you don’t want to talk about what happened right now, you don’t have to. I just want you to know that I am right here if you have anything to say about what happened.”

Len gazed at the breakfast tray, thinking over his response. Truth be told, he didn’t really want to talk about what happened ever, but he knew he should. That the faster he got it out in the open, the faster he could leave it all behind. That didn’t make it any easier, though.

“I woke up, blindfolded, and tied to a chair. I wasn’t sure where I was, and my memory of being snatched was foggy at best. I knew that you were going to come looking for me and that I would be out of danger soon enough, so I didn’t panic.”

“I feel like there’s a “but” coming.”

“I knew I wasn’t in any danger. However, the way he talked to me, the way I could feel him leering unsettled me. I was supposed to just be a business transaction, his behavior wasn’t what I expected, and that unnerved me. I couldn’t get a feel on where I was being kept, which made things worse. I had trouble keeping perspective. Then when he told me what I was being traded for, I was worried about what would be done with what he was stealing.”

Barry tilted his head and gently placed a hand on his cheek. “You had to have known I wouldn’t let someone like that get something really dangerous. I had everything moved before I set the time for our trade. Got it out of the way before he would even have people watching the place. You had to know I would take care of things.”

“I knew that logically. My emotions had other ideas. I was worried about what would happen if he really did get his hands on what he was looking for. Or, if you got caught in the middle of his plan and killed. Or, even if you decided that it wasn’t worth the chance to turn over the blueprints and that I would be gang-raped and murdered.”

Barry drew back, feeling a little offended, and took a moment to remind himself that Len didn’t really think that way. It was just fear from the situation combining with his concern over some assholes destroying the city with a super-powerful weapon. Now was not the time to blame his boyfriend for his emotional response.

“I know that it must’ve been terrifying, but I need to know that there is nothing in this world worth more to me than you. You are my number one priority, and I would burn down this entire city, the entire world, if it meant keeping you safe. No matter what your terrified mind may tell you in a moment of terror, you will always be my number one priority.”

Len sighed softly and pressed his head against Barry’s chest. “I know that. I know you would make sure that no one would ever do something like that to me. If you’re dead, though, you won’t be able to stop anyone from doing anything to me. There is always going to be a worry that one day some psycho is going to kill you and take me, and there won’t be anything either of us can do.”

Barry pressed his face into Len’s hair and stroked it gently. “I don’t think you are giving yourself nearly enough credit, darling. You were a massive help in your own rescue. You were able to keep a calm head even when he was threatening to rape or murder you. You are a good fighter and loyal to me. If worse comes to worst, you could do some serious damage. Truthfully, the only reason they got their hands on you is that we weren’t together. Together, we could face the world.”

Len looked up at him with a tilted head and smiled. “Together, we can face anything. We will face anything. God, Barry, I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Barry leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’m sure you can come up with something, my love. You are the smartest person I’ve ever met, and the only one that always lands on his feet when things go wrong.”

Len smirked and leaned up for a kiss on the lips. “You know me, throw away the plan.”


End file.
